Pictures of my new 416-8

[v65animal 0]

In 2001 I bought a new John Deere LT133, I had really good luck with it until we moved to this house, last summer the rough yard did some damage. I looked at new, nothing seemed to be much better or worth the money. I had Wheel Horses when I was a kid and knew they were built tough.

My wife said sell the JD then you can buy something else. Last summer I thought the JD was worth $400, she said get $500 out of it and you can buy another tractor. I put it on Craigslist for $650 and it sold that night sight unseen (pictures and YouTube video only) for the full price. Should have asked $750 I guess.

I basically bought this Wheel Horse sight unseen myself, I only heard it running over the phone. A guy (Bill) in his 70's had it, he used to work at a Wheel Horse dealer. His computer died and couldn't send me pictures, I could hear it run on the phone and for $675 I figured I could fix it up. It has 564 hours on it. He said another guy had driven it around and said he would be back that night to pick it up, if it hadn't sold. I paid $100 down via Western Union to hold it until Friday morning. I believe this was Tuesday afternoon, Bill was just able to get to WU before they closed.

Bill is a nice guy, on the phone he described it as better than average, some rust on the floor boards, but the hood was still shiny.

I was still a little bit nervious as Bill's description "Better than Average" could be "terrible" to another person, "really nice" or "Ok" to someone else. I'd have to see for myself and he is 400 miles away.

Bill had taken it in on trade for some older mowers. This 416-8 wasn't running when he got it.

He put on new parts:

Coil

Ignition switch

Drive belt

Fuel pump

New tranny fluid

New blades

It has the 16Hp Onan and a 42" side discharge.

Here is a link to the Photos:416-8 Pictures

I picked up a Uhaul 5x9 Ramp trailer for $24.95 a day, and left Thursday afternoon. I had the Uhaul guy check my brake and turn lights. Well, I haven't towed anything in a few years, at 9pm in some little 2 stop light town in Indiana I was pulled over, no running lights. No ticket, just said to keep the Hazards on as I was only 45 miles from my destination.

Left the hotel early so I could pick it up and get back before the 24 hour period, or I'd owe double, even for 1/2 an hour, etc.

Got there, saw the rust on the floor boards, there is a little more rust than that, not bad, not as nice as I would have liked. It was 37 degrees at 7:45 am, it fired right up. I drove it around a minute, engaged the deck and Paid the Man! It sounds sweet and drives nice. Not as cosmetically sound as I would like but not as bad it could have been.

I cut the grass as soon as I got home. I was about 1/2 way finished, when I couldn't get it in gear and the shift lever came off in my hand. (See other thread, it was the little screw that holds it to the tranny)

My wife wasn't thrilled with the idea of buying a used mower that is older than what we had. Of course she called while I was working on it, I told her and could hear hear thinking "I told you so" but she didn't say anything.

I was able to get it back into gear and finish cutting the yard before she got home.

A couple other things.

1. The deck seems to be uneven and scrapes on one side. I'll Search the site, for a solution on adjusting it.

2. Parking brake is missing a part. (Per other thread)

3. Would the New Classic style 300 series Molded Rubber foot boards fit on the 416-8?

That's about it for now.

Thanks,

Sam

[rickv1957 72]

Tractor looks good,will clean up nice! Rick

[Pirate 0]

I hope you get the trans shifting ok. I had sort of the reverse of your deal. I had a 2005 Yard Machine (MTD) 17 hp briggs/42" that I spent $900 for. Last month I bought a 1988 414-8 from the orig owner for $500, with a dump cark. Both in good shape. Then Put the MTD out front asking $600 and sold it for $550.

And my said, why do you want a 22 year old tractor?

The WH is much quieter. Even when I engage the deck, you hardly hear any difference.

Can you tell I'm happy with it?

Good luck with that good WH

[JoeMonag 1]

Bill, I bought a 1988 310-8 tractor from my local dealer three years for $600.00, he had gone throught the whole tractor, and gave me a one year warranty, have had no problems.

I wanted a bigger frame for my recently purchased two stage snow thrower, and I wanted to have the option of using my snow/dozer blade onthe 310-8 with my 2.4KW gen set.

So two weeks ago I bought a used 1986 418-8 with a K341S w/899 hours, with a 48" deck, a snow plow and frame, chains and an extra plow only. It hadn't run in two years. I told the PO if we can get it running I would buy it. We got it started, and I drove it into my truck , and later into the garage at my work The front tire was dead flat, so I installed a tube in it. All the choke throttle and govn. linkage was disconnected. Got all thatt back together again, and found it back fired from a high to low idle, and that left some holes in the muffler.

With Pb blaster and elbow grease I got th muffler off and re-welded. I have the carb. off, and am waitng for a re-build kit, and new points and condensor to arrive. I plan to flush out the fuel tank with Isopropanol ( we use it by gallon

at work), and replace the fuel lines from the tank to the carb. I hope all this work will yield a good running tractor. I have a lot of small things to lube and repair, but all the saftey switches work, and it starts righ up. I paid 500 bucks for the everything.

I think I will sell the 48" mower deck which is in excellent shape. I want the 416 for my two stage in the winter and my Johnny Bucket for the summer.

I expect to spend around $250.00 to get it all back to shape. This is the first time in 32 years of owning wheel horse products, that I have two at the same time.

Good luck with your 416, and wish me luck wit mine.

Joe in Norton,MA

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